Spring-motor.



G. L. EMERSON.

SPRING MOTOR. PPucAnoN FILED rmv.11 194.1.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

m: Nmmxs pneus co .-nom Lmw. wAsHuvoruN. n c

G. L. EMERSON SPRING MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 1. 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

MME/V70@ G50/P65 L. E/wfffo A TTUR/VEY reactie.

GEORGE L. EMERSON, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SPRING-MOTOR.

Application filed November 7, 1917.

To all whom it may conce/1in.:

Be it known that l, GEORGE L. EMERsoN, av citizen of the United States. residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a spring inotor.

rIhe principal object of this invention is to provide a spring n'lotor adapted to be wound by a shaft which will be driven in the saine direction by the inotor when the spring unwinds.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spring motor of the above class which inay be used in connection with a rotating body to retard its speed of rotation, thereby winding the spring; of the iuotor. after which the energized inotor niay be used to inipart niotion to said body, thus providing a inotor particularly7 adapted for use in connection with centrifugally operated honey extractors, so that the energy rcquired to stop the extr^L ctor inay be utilized to wind the inotor and thereafter used. to set the extractor in motion.

Another object of this invention is to provide a inotor of the above class which siniple in its construction and inay be easily controlled and operated to produce the results desired.

Other objectswill appear hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated, by way of example. in. the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective illustrating a centrifugally operating honey extractor7 with parts broken away to clearly disclose the application of the spring niotor thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the details of the inotor construction and its application to the central operating shaft of the honey extractor. n

F ig. 3 is a sniall view in perspective illustrating the inanner in which part of the control mechanism of the niotor is actuated.

Fig. is an enlarged view in transverse section as seen on the line 4 1 of Fig. 2 illustrating' the upper drivingl elements of the inotor as applied to the frame of the extractor.

`Fig. 5 is an enlarged view in transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 illustrating the details of the motor construction.

Referring more particularly to the draw- Speecaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

serial no. 200.232.

ings, 10 indicates the tank of a honey extractor. This tank is preferably cylindri cal, having a floor 11 spaced a distance froin the ground. The side walls of the tank extend downwardly from the floor 11 to foi-in an inclosure within which a spring inotor 12 and its operating niechanisin are positioned. Disposed within the tank is a reel 13 upon which are niounted honeycomb baskets 1i. This reel is of coinnion construction, having upper and lower radial arins' 15 and 1G which are conected at their outer ends by vertical frame nienibers 17. These arnis are provided with hubs which position theni upon a vertical axle 1S, around which they rotate. It is to be understood that the special design of the extractor .is innnaterial and that it is used inerely to illustrate one application of the inotor as it will be evident that a inotor havingthe characteristics here described would be valuable in connection with Inany other ineehanisnis.

The motor consists of a lower druni 19 and an upper druin 2O which oppose each other and forni a housing' within which a spirally wound springl 21 is positioned. rlhe lower druin is provided with a hub which is fixed upon the central shaft 22 of the axle 187 while the upper drum is free to rotate around the lower end of an axle sleeve Q3 through which the shaft 22 extends. In the present instance both sets of radial arms of the extractor are fixed to rotate with the axle sleeve. The sleeve 23 extends through a bearing` 24 in the door of the tank and only rotates under conditions which will be hereinafter specified. The shaft 22 is rotatably supported by a thrust bearing 25 held upon a bearing` block 26 which in turn is inounted within -a transverse frame channel 27 beneath the iioorrof the tank and surrounded by the downwardly extending wall thereof. Secured to the upper end of the shaft Q2 is a bevel pinion 2S which is in inesh with a bevel driving gear Q9. This gear is fixed to the end of a horizontally disposed crank shaft 30 which is rotatably held within bearings` upon a cross head 31 through which the shaft 22 is also supported. The outer end of the shaft BO is provided with a crank arin 32 by which the shafts 30 and E22 may be driven. Motion is imparted from the driven 'axle sha't 22 to the reel 13 by a pivoted pawl 33 which is mounted upon a collar 3d secured to the axle shaft and adapted to swing vertically over ratchet fr imam@ the hori- T he hub s tree to rotate upon the shaft in the V'ite direction :troni the direction in ch the navvl vvill hold and the hub connected to the reel arms lo hf.' te lth extending doivn into recesses in the ruis.

rllhe reel is driven bv the shaft 22 i' mayv receive its ino-tion troni the spring niotor l2 when desired. rlhis motor is operativel;v connected to the shaft through t drinn 19 which is pinned upon tie shaft. This druni is fastened to the inner end ot the coil spring il, said spring being Wrapped around th4` hub ot the drinn and its outer end astenel to the circumferential vvall ot the up )er drinn rlhe loiver drinn i9 is provided vvith ratchet teeth 3T vvliieh entend entirelv arount its oi cireuintereiue, and are engaged bj. a lovver drinn pavvl 23S i otallv mounted above the channel QT to svfintr around a vertical pavvl pin 39. This pavvllis held against the circun'rterenee of the drum bv a spring #i d ma): be relieved theret'roni b v a cont-rol n echanisin ll, particularlv shovvn in ot the dravv ings, and vvhich vvill be hereinafter described. rThe teeth upon the iver drinn are faced so that when the pavvl is in engagement ivith them the drum ivill be unable to rotate in the normal direction ot travel ot the reelz rlhe upper drinn 2() is also provided vvith a set et circumferential teeth, as indicated by the numeral These teeth are termed .vith their shoulders tacithe opposite direction troni the teeth Si" uL the lovver drinn and are adapted to be en gagged h v an upper drum paivl im lo aa lo, also pivotall'v mounted upon the pin and )fieldahlv held against Jhe teeth bjr a spring` tl,

Formed upon the upper horizontal tace ot the drinn, 2G and concentric vvith the axis thereof a series ot upsranding ratchet teeth i5. lrEhese teeth are adapted to he engaged ov a Winding' pavvl #lr6 vvhieh pivotall;v secured 'tor vertical movement upon a collar e? te tened above the drinn 2O and to the. sleeve This paivl is provided with a littinex against vfhieli a sliding sol lar Si inav be brought to bear. The collar Si is preterabliv positioned above the coll ar l? upon thel sleeve 23 and is engaged hlv folre lever 5G which is so eonnerted as: to shift the collar Without preventing; its rota The lever 50 is mounted upon a suivLA fion. able bracket beneath the floor oit the tanlr andis formed vvith a horieonta-llv extendinglever arni hv which oi'illar naar he moved vertically. This arm actuated bv the control mechanism ll` particularly shovvn in Fig. 3.

rEhe control nieehanism cons'sts a h nd lever pivotallj: secured at an accessible point upon the` side oit the tank l0 and adapted to swing over an indicating quadrant l. il connecting` rod is provided this hand lever and entends doivnvvardl)V along; the sine et the tanlr to be connected to a bell crank ,vhich in turn is pivotallv cornected to a. horizontallyv moving` shitting lever 5T. This lever extends transv rsely ot' the voire lever 5G a d has a bar cam 58 which bears upon the lever arni 52 ot the volte 50 to actu-ate the volte to raise and lovver the shitting collar 4:9, l lower slotted bar 59 is also connected ivith the shitting lever 5T to actuate the loiver drum paivl 3S. This paivl litted 'with a pin 50 which extends upvvardlv through a slotted opening 6l in the. bar 59 and is so disposed in relation to the cani tace G2 ot the har 5S as to cause t-he shitting lever 50 and the Winding paivl i6 to he actuated prior to the actuation ot the loiver drinn pavvl 3S. The shitting' lever and the bars 5S and 59 are slidablv supported vivithin suitable hearings 613 and Gil.

ln operation`v the baskets it are filled vvith honevcoinb and the extractor made ready for operation. lt viill be assumed that the inoter 12 has been energized and that it is novv read)Y tor use. The hand lever 53 is then moved to the start-ing' position as indicated upon the quadrant. rlhis vvill dravv the shitting` lever in the direotion ot the ari-ovv MH as indicated in Fir'. 3. llfhen this done the cani tace G2 ot the bar 58 vvill strike the under tace ot the volte lever 52 and will saving it upvvardlv in the direction ot the arroiv i5- vvhile moving` the shitting col* lar in a reverse direction to apply pressure to the lifting arni and thereby raise the vvinding aavfl. Continued movement ot the shitting lever 57 vvill bring` the end ot the slot @l into engagement With the pin (SO ot the lovver drum pavvl 88 to swing it outivardlv in the direction of the arroiv dca id release it from engagement with the lower druni. lt is to be borne in mind that the pavvl l is constantly,v in engagement With the ratchet teeth 42 of the upper drum 20 and that when the. lovver druni is released bv the above operation the outer end ot the spring' 2l .is held with the drinn Q0 ivhile the inner end is released and ivill drive the loiver drum i9. is the lovver drum is pinned to tno lovver end ot the solid shaft this sli-att vill be rotated and will act through the pavvl 353 tlXed at the upper end ot ldie sin tt to drive the reel through engagement ivith the ratchet teeth 35 ot the hub 3G. This ivill cause the reel to rotate in the direction ot the arrovv -Z-- vvhich'is its normal direction o rotation. As the spring unvvinds, the inertia ot the reel will be overcome and when it reaches a desired speed ot rotation majv be maintained at suoli a speed bv movingI the. hand lever to neutral position and manual rotation et the crank shaft 30. lt. is evident that the povver required to keep the reel in rotation will be comparatively small in relation to the force required to overcome the inertia of the reel.

When the desired centrifugaly action has extracted the honey from the comb the reel may be retarded and eventually stopped `by throwing the Winding paivl 46 and the l'oiver' drum pavvl 38 into engagement with the ratchet teeth @l5 and 37, respectively. This will hold the loiver drum against movement and thus liX the inner end of the spring 2l, While the upper drum Will be locked to the sleeve Q3 ivhich is rotated by the reel, thus causing the momentum of the reel to revolve the upper drinn and Wind the spring'. lt Will be noted that the reel ahvays rotates in a single direction of travel and is connected to the spring motor ivithout the use of complicated reversing mechanisms. y

lllhen the shifting lever is positioned with its handle in neutral the cam face of the bar cam 5S vvill have lifted the Winding paivl from engagement with the .ratchet teeth but vvill not have moved sufficiently to release the loiver drum paivl 38. rllhis ivill allovv the reel to be rotated freely in either direction and ivill entirely disconnect the motor therefrom.

lt Will thus be seen that the motor here disclosed Will operate continuously with a mechanism rotating .in a single direction and Will be of great advantage in connection ivith a mechanism such as the honey eX- tractor here shoivn in which inertia must be readily overcome and momentum opposed.

1While I have shovvn the preferred construction of my spring motor as noiv knoivn to me, it Will be understood that various changes in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A spring motor comprising a spirally Wound spring, a Winding drum in connection ivith the outer end of said spring, a driving drum in connection with the inner end of said spring, both of said drums being in axial alinement ivith the center of the spring, a driving shaft rigidly connected to the driving drum, a sleeve positioned over said driving shaft and ivith which a rotating body is adapted to move, ratchet means whereby the shaft may be connected with said sleeve to rotate it in a single direction, ratchet means for optionally connecting the sleeve with the Winding drum, and means whereby said motor may be controlled to ivind the spring through the movement of the sleeve or drive the sleeve through the movement of the shaft.

2. A spring motor comprising a spirally Wound spring, a Winding drum in connection with the outer end of said spring, a

driving drum in connection with the inner end of said spring, both of said drums being in axial alinement ivith the center of the spring, a driving shaft rigidly connected vto the driving drum, a sleeve positioned over said driving shaft and ivith ivhich a .rotating body is adapted to move, ratchet means ivhereby the shaft may be connected with said sleeve to rotate it in a single direction, ratchet means for optionally connecting the sleeve with the Winding drum, ratchet means for preventing the recoil of the spring and reverse movement ofthe Winding drum, and ratchet means for releasing the driving drum to permit recoil of the spring and the consequent driving of the shaft.

3. A spring motor comprising a spirally wound spring, a Winding drum in connection yvith the outer end of said spring, a driving drum in connection with the inner end of said spring, both of said drums being in axial alinement ivith the center of the spring, a drivingshaft rigidly connected to the driving drum,a sleeve positioned over said driving shaft and with Which a rotating body is adapted to move, ratchet means vvhereby the shaft may be connected with said sleeve to rotate it in a single direction, ratchet means for optionally connecting the sleeve ivith the Winding drum, ratchet means for preventing the recoil of the spring and reverse movement of the Winding drun, ratchet means for releasing the driving drum to permit recoil of the spring and the consequentv driving of the shaft, and means for simultaneously actuating the ratchet connecting means between the sleeve and the Winding drum and the ratchet means for releasing the driving drum.

4. A spring motor comprising a spirally Wound spring, a Winding drum in connection With the outer end of said spring, a driving drum in connection with the inner end of said spring, both of said drums being in axial alinement With the center of the spring, a driving shaft rigidly connected to the` driving drum, a sleeve positioned over said driving shaft and with which a rotating body adapted to move, ratchet means whereby the shaft may be connected With said sleeve to rotate it in a single direction, ratchet means for optionally connecting the sleeve with the Winding drum, ratchet means for preventing the recoil of the spring and reverse movement of the Winding drum, ratchet means for releasing the driving drum to permit recoil of the spring and the consequent driving of the shaft, means for simultaneously actuating the ratchet connecting means between the sleeve and the Winding drum and the ratchet means for releasing the driving drum, and means Whereby the ratchet means for connecting the slee-ve with the Winding drum may be released without ei'l`eeting the releasing ineans of the driving drinn.

5. t spring inotor comprising a horizontal rotating body, an axle sleeve to which said body is lined, a driving shaft extending through the axle sleeve, a ratchet wheel fined to the body, a pawl pivotally secured to the shaft and adapted to engage the wheel to drive the body in a single direction, eranh ine-ans by which the driving shaft inay be driven, an npper ratchet drinn rotatably inounted upon the lower end ot the axle sleeve, ratchet teeth upon the upper tace of said drum, a pawl secured to the sleeve and adapted to engage the ratchet teeth, ratchet teeth around the periphery of said drum, a. check pawl normally held against said periphery to oppose the inoveinent'of the druin except in the direction of rotation of the body, a lower ratchet druin secured to the driving shaft, ratchet teeth formed around the periphery of said drum, areleasing pawl adapted to engage said last-named teeth and normally hold the lower drum from rotation in the direction of rotation ot1 the body, a spiral spring interposed between said drums having its outer end fastened. to the upper druni and its inner end fastened to the lower drain7 and lever controlled means whereby the sleeve pawl and the reneveeio leasing pawl niay be simultaneously thrown into and out of inesh with their respective ratchet teeth, thereby causing the rotation of the body and sleeve to aot through the sleeve pawl to wind the spring and when said pawls are released to allow the spring to unwind and drive the lower drinn, the drive shaft, and the body through the pawl piv` otally secured to the upper end ot the shaft.

6. A spring inotor comprising a spirally wound spring, a winding drinn in connection with one end of the spring, a driving drum in connection with the other end or' the spring; both oit said drums being in axial alinenient with the center of the spring; a driving shaft rigidly connected to the driving drnni7 a sleeve positioned over said driving shaft7 a rotating body niounted upon the sleeve, ratchet ineens whereby the shaft inay be Connected with said sleeve, ratchet ineens for optionally connecting the sleeve with the winding drinn, and ineans whereby7 said inotor inay be controlled to wind the spring through the movement of the sleeve or drive the sleeve through the nioveinent of the shaft.

ln testimony whereof l have signed iny naineto this speoiiieation.

GRU. L. EMERSGN.

e nente eaeh, oy addreseing ernrassioner oi 

